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I have connected Pickit3 and the above TQFP PIC microcontroller on a PCB and connected the respective pins to it. I have checked for short circuits between pins and found none. What could be the reason the PIC is not detected by the programmer?

Kris Bahnsen
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Rookie91
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2 Answers2

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These are some things to check:

  • Truly make sure all connections to the PIC and pickit3 are correct, triple check if need be
  • Test pickit3 + cable set up against a known working board if possible
  • Try different USB cables, I have had some flaky red cables come with pickit3s in the past
  • Verify that the PIC is being powered properly
  • If you are using the pickit3 to power the PCB, make sure it can provide enough current
  • Use the pickit3 software and not MPLAB IDE/X (http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/PICkit3%20Programmer%20Application%20v3.10.zip)
    • Using the above tool, you can put the programmer in "slow mode" to allow for PCB layouts that have loads on the programming pins
    • If you are using the pickit3 to power the PCB, you can also adjust the voltage to help with pin loading issues

I have little experience with MPLAB X, but it doesn't seem to easily bring out the functions that the standalone software provides.

JYelton
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Kris Bahnsen
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  • Thanks a lot Kris.I have cross checked the PCB connections and all the Pins to the PICKIT3 shows connectivity.well i trust there is no matter this controller should not detect the TQFP PIC18f46j53 Right? Yup i am using Pickit3 to power the PCB.And i am using Pickkit 3 Software – Rookie91 Dec 11 '13 at 08:37
  • @Rookie91 According to MPLAB X, the PIC18F46J53 is fully supported by the pickit3. Right click project->Properties, select device, red/yellow/green "lights" next to programmers in the pane show device support. Since you are using the pickit to power the PCB, make sure it can provide enough current. – Kris Bahnsen Dec 11 '13 at 08:43
  • Thanks Kris.Well i have check other reasons for detecting the error.This one detects the pic18fJ family when we tried with Bread Board.I'll check again and report back.Mean while i would be extremly if you Could suggest somethings that can help me to fix it. – Rookie91 Dec 11 '13 at 08:46
  • If you select the Manual mode on PICKIT3 and select PICKIT18J family.I could not find PIC18fJ53 as only PIC18f46j50 can be found after that it goes to Pic18f66j family.No device connected is the message the pickit 3 produces. – Rookie91 Dec 11 '13 at 08:59
  • I've suggested everything I have run in to in the past, if you run through everything I listed and are still having issues you may want to try posting more info here like your schematic. Maybe build another board or two to test with as well. – Kris Bahnsen Dec 11 '13 at 09:00
  • Thanks Kris btw i just want to make sure that there is no issue like not supporting the TQFP package.I was afraid of that.Rest i'll make sure either making another board and testing. – Rookie91 Dec 11 '13 at 09:02
  • Well if we provide the PICKIT3 and if it can not provide enough current will it not detect the Controller?.Or is it like you can not detect the controller if anything like that. – Rookie91 Dec 11 '13 at 09:09
  • There is no issue with individual packages, if one PIC model is supported, all form factors of it are supported. If you are not providing enough current, it could cause a whole rail to brown out, if your PIC is on one of these rails then it will not have a voltage high enough to program properly. – Kris Bahnsen Dec 11 '13 at 09:27
  • let us [continue this discussion in chat](http://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/11904/discussion-between-rookie91-and-kris-bahnsen) – Rookie91 Dec 11 '13 at 09:37
  • Do not forget to add the decoupling capacitors (esp. the one on Vcap) and to connect all Vdd and GND pins. – hli Dec 11 '13 at 09:37
  • @hli Hi I have done so and cross checked it..Still im struggling to sort out the issue. – Rookie91 Dec 11 '13 at 11:16
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I've managed to program it using Mplab X IDE and then it detects the Controller and We still could not figure out why this PICKIT Does not detect the Controller in it's IDE PICKIT_3 s/w.

I am posting this Answer for anyone who is stuck with this problem: try with MPlab IDE programmer and then power it via option and Burn the code.

clabacchio
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Rookie91
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  • It's not really clear how the problem was solved. Maybe you could explain better which programmer didn't work and why, and try to understand what's the difference when you use the MPlab programmer. – clabacchio Dec 12 '13 at 07:49